Cheteshwar Pujara

Thursday, January 26, 2012

There was some rare good news for the bedraggled Indian cricket team today. One of their batsmen finally managed to reach three figures in what has turned out to be the most one-sided Test series since India last played a Test series outside the subcontinent.

The even better news was that the identity of the century maker wasn’t one of their veterans rolling back the years for a final hurrah (or even a long awaited 100th international hundred). Nor was it one of the misfiring opening batsmen whose individual run without a Test hundred now extends to 38 innings for Gautam Gambhir and 25 for Virender Sehwag.

Today saw the maiden Test hundred for Virat Kohli and it was a good one too even if it probably won’t avert yet another heavy defeat for his side.

We’ve been quite impressed with Kohli for some time and his success could (and should) herald a radical new selection policy for India. One that should see long-service awards and pats on the back for VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and dare I say it the Little Master himself and their replacement in the side with Kohli's fellow new breeders namely Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara.

As it has with Kohli it may take some time for the new boys to assimilate to Test cricket, but let’s be frank they cannot do much worse than the incumbents have fared in England and Australia. As an example prior to the Adelaide Test, Gambhir averaged 23.00 in the England and Australia series, Laxman 20.28 and Sehwag 16.09.

It’s time for Indian cricket to move on and Kohli’s hundred may well have pointed the way.

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Let’s make one thing clear, we believe that Virat Kohli is an immensely talented batsman here at The Reverse Sweep.

In our view Kohli is at the head of a new generation of Indian batsmen including Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane that promises the handover of power from the old guard of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman may be much smoother than once feared.

Neverthless, Kohli’s reaction to his dismissal in the third ODI against West Indies in Ahmedabad yesterday was unacceptable. Standing his ground and glaring at the umpire was bad enough, but his mouthing of obscenities and general childish demeanour was more befitting of the type of behaviour seen at Premier League football grounds.

As someone who has grown up with the filthy lucre of the IPL and in the full glare of a cricket obsessed country and media, Kohli lives the luxurious and closeted existence enjoyed by the likes of Wayne Rooney and John Terry.

And just as the behaviour of the England rugby squad has plunged the depths as the rewards and endorsements have gone in the other direction – mirroring their football counterparts, so is the danger for the cricketers of the IPL generation.

Kohli has said on many occasions how his game has benefitted from watching Tendulkar at close quarters and listening to his wise counsel, so he would do well to also heed the example the Little Master sets in terms of his modesty off the pitch and respect for the rich traditions of cricket.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

But for naivety and the compusure of last wicket pair Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron, West Indies would have accomplished in one game what England couldn't manage in five by beating the World Champions in their own backyard.

The catalyst for India's triumph was the increasingly impressive Rohit Sharma, who skilfully anchored what had appeared to be a forlorn chase with 72 before he fell with just 11 runs required.

For a while it seemed that Sharma, famously dubbed Nohit by his detractors, was going to be a talent unfulfilled. A lack of consistency, a seeming love of the celebrity afforded by the IPL and perhaps a touch too much arrogance all contributed to the man who Shane Warne described as having "all the talent in the world" to be left on the fringes of the Indian side.

But a pair of hundreds in an obscure one-day tournament in Zimbabwe in 2010 hinted that there was some substance to go with the style and his first-class average of 63 tells you that there is talent in abundance.

Although he missed out on the World Cup squad, his curve has continued to go upwards since thanks to a strong performance in the Caribbean in June and perhaps a defining knock yesterday.

He is in the Test squad for the tour to Australia and along with Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane forms a quartet of immensely promising young Indian batsmen.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

When Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid put the pads in their kit bags for the last time, India is set for a decline in its fortunes to match that of Australia once Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist amongst others retired. Well that's the script peddled by most commentators anyway.

Its certainly true, that any side would miss three all-time great batsmen such as these especially if they were to retire simultaneously or within a short timespan of each other. But firstly the form of Tendulkar and Laxman at least, who both average over 90 in test cricket this year, would seem to suggest that they have plenty of gas left in the tank.

And perhaps more importantly, it would appear that India has a plethora of young batsmen ready to step into the footsteps of this illustrious trio - Suresh Raina has had a brilliant start to his test career and averages 68 after four matches. Murali Vijay hit a majestic hundred in the recent Bangalore Test and looks a class act. Cheteshwar Pujara looked every inch a batsman with a first-class average of 60 when pitched in at the deep end in his first test. Virat Kohli may not have made his test bow yet, but has looked to have all the ingredients required for the longer form of the game in his outings for the one day side. Even Rohit Sharma looks like he may finally deliver on his obvious promise. And my Indian spies tell me there are others too.

Yes, these five batsmen need to prove they have the games to shine outside the subcontinent. And they certainly need to stay away from the many distractions that now face every young Indian cricketer thanks to the IPL and the celebrity circus, but the future looks brighter than many Indian fans fear.

So, India could yet be set for a long reign as the number one side in the world. The next eighteen months where India play away series in South Africa, England and Australia will go a long way to demonstrating if any changing of the guard sees them reinforce their lofty position or slip away from the summit. Our money is on some of these boys at least becoming men.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

India reinforced their position as the number one ranked test side in the world ahead of a testing 18 months when they will play away series in South Africa, England and Australia. Given the form of Sachin Tendulkar and the emergence here of young players like Murali Vijay and debutant Cheteshwar Pujara, India seem well positioned to take on this triple challenge.

So with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy retained after what in the end proved an easy win, how did the Indian XI rate on the Reverse Sweep marks out of ten scale?

Murali Vijay - 9: Played the support role perfectly in that huge partnership with Tendulkar and was rewarded with a deserved maiden test ton. Then provided impetuous to the run chase in the second innings despite the early loss of Sehwag. With Gambhir's weakness against the short ball likely to be tested in the next 18 months, Vijay could get an extended run in the side at some point.

Virender Sehwag - 5: So he is human after all. Cheap dismissal after typical brutal 30 in the first innings was followed by another second innings failure. Don't worry Sehwag lovers, the next run-a-ball hundred is probably just around the corner.

Rahul Dravid - 5: Made a poor mistake to get out to Johnson again in the first innings and was then shoved down the order in the second before seeing India over the line in partnership with Sachin. Pujara's emergence could yet hasten Dravid's march to the exit door.

Sachin Tendulkar - 10: A supreme double hundred in the first innings saw the Little Master past 14,000 test runs. Incredible. The icing on the cake was the unbeaten fifty in the second innings as his Annus Mirabilis continued. How can you not give him a ten after that performance?

Cheteshwar Pujara - 8: Bounced back from getting a shooter three balls into his first test innings to impress hugely when promoted to three in the second. Given he has a first-class average of 60, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised he looked so composed. Dravid's successor looks to have been identified.

Suresh Raina - 6: Batted well enough for his 32 before falling to a sucker punch when Ponting moved long on into the circle and Raina then promptly holed out next ball to the new mid on. More difficult assignments await. Will be delighted to have snared Ponting as his first test wicket.

MS Dhoni - 6: Kept much better than he did at Mohali without ever looking entirely convincing and made a patient 30 in his only innings. His status as a captain continues to grow.

Harbhajan Singh - 7: Six wickets in the match, with all but one being a top order batsman and his bowling was tidy enough. Still doesn't look like the Harbhajan of old though and his batting seems to have travelled rapidly downhill.

Zaheer Khan - 7: India's one genuine world-class seamer was again on form on an unhelpful pitch and deserved more than his four wickets. Will be relishing the regular opportunities to bowl on pitches outside the subcontinent in the next 18 months.

Pragyan Ojha - 7: Bowled much better and with more threat than he did at Mohali and was duly rewarded with six wickets in the match. Looks to be a good, if not outstanding spinner.

Sreesanth - 5: We're not convinced by Sreesanth. If he is India's third best seamer after Zaheer and Ishant, it doesn't say much for the rest. Grabbed two second innings wickets after taking none in a poor display first time around.

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